History

Shadow March, a solemn tribute to the tragic events of the Katyn Massacre

The streets of Warsaw witnessed the silent march of the 17th Katyn Shadow March. The march commenced on Sunday at 3:00 PM from the former site of the Polish Army Museum.

“The Shadow March proceeds in silence and concentration; therein lies its strength. Silence is a scream; we enter the bustling Warsaw of everyday life. We disrupt it; that’s the impulse,” said Jarosław Wróblewski, the organizer of the Shadow March, on Polish Radio 24.

With 300 reenactors participating, the march aims to honor the memory of the 22,000 Polish officers, soldiers, and policemen, as well as doctors, officials, and teachers brutally murdered by the Soviets in 1940. Wróblewski emphasized the significance of remembering Katyn and reiterated the sacrifice made by those who remained loyal to Poland in the face of adversity.

The tradition, spanning 17 years, underscores the importance of preserving the memory of Katyn in the public consciousness. The procession traverses iconic landmarks like the Royal Route and the Old Town and culminates at the Monument to the Fallen and Murdered in the East on Muranowska Street.

“Time has shown that this formula has stood the test. There are no speeches or official addresses. Only letters of the murdered to their families are read in the historical space; that’s their voice,” explained Wróblewski.

The march was preceded by a Holy Mass at 12:00 PM at the Field Cathedral of the Polish Army for the victims of the Katyn Massacre. The organizers of this year’s Katyn Shadow March are the Institute of National Remembrance and the Historical Group “Zgrupowanie Radosław.” [Radosław Group - TVP World]
Source: TVP World, Polskie Radio 24
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